Password managers · verified 2026-07
Bitwarden vs Proton Pass
Open-source passwords: a real free tier and the lowest paid price
Open-source passwords with email aliasing baked in, from Swiss Proton
The two open-source privacy favorites, closer than any other matchup we've scored: both audited, both with real free tiers, both under $25/year. Bitwarden's 2026 price rise turned what used to be a landslide into a genuine coin-flip decided by features.
Round-by-round scorecard
3 – 2 (1 even)
- Round 1 — Free tierProton Pass takes it
Both offer unlimited passwords and devices free; Proton adds passkeys everywhere plus 10 email aliases. Bitwarden's free plan keeps 2-person sharing — but Proton's is broader overall.
- Round 2 — Priceeven
$19.80/yr (Bitwarden Premium) vs $23.88/yr (Pass Plus) — effectively level since Bitwarden's Jan 2026 doubling; family plans differ by shape (6 users both, $47.88 vs ~$60).
- Round 3 — Email aliasingProton Pass takes it
Unlimited hide-my-email aliases with custom domains are built into Pass Plus; Bitwarden only integrates external forwarding services.
- Round 4 — Maturity & ecosystemBitwarden takes it
Bitwarden is a decade old with enterprise tiers, native apps and the category's best third-party integration story; Proton Pass launched in 2023.
- Round 5 — Self-hostingBitwarden takes it
Bitwarden (and its Vaultwarden community server) can run entirely on your hardware; Proton Pass cannot.
- Round 6 — Offline accessBitwarden takes it
Bitwarden's free tier includes offline read access; Proton Pass paywalls offline mode entirely.
Pricing, side by side
Per user/month in USD. Prices checked July 2026.
Bitwarden
Free: unlimited passwords on unlimited devices, all platforms, sharing with 1 other user. No TOTP or attachments.
| Plan | Annual | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | Free |
| Premium$19.80/year (annual only) — after the Jan 2026 increase | $1.65 | — |
| Families6 users, $47.88/yr | $3.99 | — |
| EnterprisePer user; SSO, self-host | $6 | — |
Proton Pass
Free: unlimited logins on unlimited devices, passkeys everywhere, 10 hide-my-email aliases. Offline access and TOTP are paid.
| Plan | Annual | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | Free |
| Pass Plus$23.88/yr — unlimited aliases, TOTP, sharing, monitoring | $1.99 | — |
| Pass Family6 users, ~$60/yr | $4.99 | — |
Where each one wins — and hurts
Bitwarden
- Open source and independently audited, with optional full self-hosting — a unique trust story
- The only mainstream free tier with no device or password caps
- Cheapest paid tier in the category even after doubling: $19.80/yr vs 1Password's $47.88
- Jan 2026 Premium upgrades: vault health alerts, phishing blocker, 5 GB storage
- Utilitarian UI and occasionally less reliable autofill than 1Password, per most 2025-26 reviews
- The Jan 2026 price rise (~2× from $9.99/yr) was poorly communicated and dented its value halo
- Offline access is read-only — you can't edit your vault without a connection
Proton Pass
- The most generous free tier of the major managers: unlimited passwords and devices
- Built-in hide-my-email aliasing (SimpleLogin infrastructure) that no rival matches natively
- Open source, independently audited, Swiss jurisdiction, nonprofit-foundation controlled
- Rapid shipping: offline mode, CLI, credit-card autofill and team groups all landed in 2025
- Offline access and the TOTP authenticator are paywalled — the free plan is online-only
- Desktop apps are web wrappers rather than native
- Younger product with thinner enterprise tooling than 1Password or Bitwarden
The decision
Choose Bitwarden if…
You want the proven, boring choice: a decade of audits, self-hosting freedom, enterprise depth and offline access even on free. Bitwarden remains the default recommendation of the open-source world.
Try BitwardenChoose Proton Pass if…
You want aliasing — the single best everyday privacy upgrade — bundled with your passwords, or you're already in the Proton ecosystem (Mail, VPN, Drive). Pass Plus at $1.99/month is the richer consumer bundle.
Try Proton PassHow we make money: some outbound links on this page may be affiliate links, meaning we may earn a commission if you sign up — at no cost to you. Commissions never decide a round or a verdict; our scoring method is documented in the methodology.
Frequently asked
›Are both really open source?
Yes — both publish client and server code and commission independent audits (Bitwarden regularly, Proton via Cure53). Bitwarden goes further by supporting self-hosting; Proton counters with Swiss jurisdiction and nonprofit-foundation control.
›What's the deal with email aliases?
Proton Pass creates unlimited hide-my-email addresses (via SimpleLogin infrastructure) so every site gets a unique address you can kill when it leaks or spams. Bitwarden can generate aliases only through third-party services you set up separately. If aliasing matters to you, this round alone decides the matchup.
›Which free plan is better?
Both are genuinely usable — unlimited passwords and devices on each. Differences at the edges: Bitwarden free includes offline access and 2-person sharing; Proton free includes passkeys on all platforms and 10 aliases but is online-only. Pick by which edge case is yours.
›Can I migrate between them?
Yes, trivially: both export/import standard formats (JSON/CSV) and each documents importing from the other. As always, passkeys need re-registering per site after a switch.
Sources
- https://bitwarden.com/pricing/
- https://bitwarden.com/resources/january-2026-spotlight-enhanced-premium-plan/
- https://www.fastcompany.com/91483458/bitwarden-price-increase
- https://proton.me/pass/pricing
- https://proton.me/blog/proton-pass-price-change
- https://proton.me/partners
Facts verified against both vendors' own pricing pages plus secondary sources. Spotted something stale? Tell us and we'll fix it.
Not convinced by either? Bitwarden alternatives · Proton Pass alternatives